2011 Draft Position:

• 21

First-Ever Draft Pick:

• Don Meredith, QB, Southern Methodist (1st Round, 1960) The AFL's first draft had a provision where each of the eight clubs one "territorial" or "bonus" pick. The Chiefs, then known as the Dallas Texans, selected Meredith. The SMU QB was also drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 3rd round, 32nd overall in the NFL Draft that year. He eventually signed with expansion Dallas Cowboys and spent nine seasons as the team's QB.

First Overall Pick in the NFL Draft:

• 1963 – Junious "Buck" Buchanan, DT, Grambling

Buck Buchanan

Willie Lanier

Derrick Thomas

Did you know?

One of the key elements of the Chiefs early success as a franchise came from the fact that owner Lamar Hunt and coach Hank Stram recruited players from predominantly black colleges, which up to that time had not really been scouted. Their strategy worked as is evidenced by such Chiefs who've earned bronze busts in Canton: Buck Buchanan (Grambling), Willie Lanier (Morgan State), and Emmitt Thomas (Bishop).

Quotable:

"I think he'll be able to adapt quickly to what we're trying to do here, the evolution of the 3-4 defense has brought it to a point where you take one linebacker and utilize him as rusher," shared Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer after Kansas City picked Derrick Thomas with the fourth overall pick in 1989. Thomas was the Butkus Award winner as college's top linebacker.

Creating havoc for the opposing quarterbacks is something that Thomas wasted no time in doing at the NFL level. A devastating pass rusher, who owns the NFL record for seven sacks in a game, was posthumously enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

For more on Thomas' prowess as a pass rusher, read our featured titled "Sack Machine."